tonight, as america endures its deadliest week from the virus, the news tonight -- signs the curve may be flattening in new york city. even with another 777 deaths in 24 hours. and what president trump revealed this afternoon. the death toll in the u.s. now surpassing 18,000. in new york, even with yet another 24-hour staggering toll, governor cuomo tonight cautious but saying the numbers do appear to be reaching a plateau, and his warning about what could change this. the rate of hospitalizations in new york inching down. we have reported on the toll on african-americans. in new york city, the alarming toll on the latino community. and tonight, pregnancy and the virus. inside a maternity ward where an expectant mother tested positive. the emergency c-section. we are across the country tonight. in maryland they're warning

cases are still spiking. the warnings in michigan, in south florida, what the governor there said about victims of this virus, drawing an immediate correction. and tonight, how and when will america reopen? what the president said late today about making that decision. and this evening, is part of that reopening dependent on testing for antibodies? looking to see if many americans have been expose to the virus and might have some immunity. tonight, our team on the cutting edge of this, the experimental test, a simple pinprick. what dr. fauci and the president said on this kind of testing today, as we ask, how will they get tens of thousands of tests ready for americans to give them some kind of an assurance before returning to work? nearly 17 million americans out of work, and the growing lines for food in california, texas, florida. many struggling to get unemployment checks. and is there a new tool now for some to get them more quickly? and the urgent plea tonight from many church leaders about

services this weekend. news tonight on boris johnson, how serious his condition was. amid news he's now able to take a few steps before having to rest. and your money, the fbi out a new warning about widespread scams in the age of the virus. what you need to know. good evening. and we have made it through another week together. tonight, even as the death toll continues to grow, another horrific 24 hours in new york alone. 777 lives lost in one day. there are still much-needed signs tonight that the curve might be flattening. but the governor of new york is urging caution, and president trump tonight on the decision of when and how to get america back to work. acknowledging, i know i've got to make the biggest decision of my life. every night, of course, we bring you the numbers here. and this evening the coronavirus has taken the lives of more than 18,000 people in this country. more than 2,000 in the past 24 hours.

in new york city, the difficult images tonight. the morgues are so full, they have acknowledged they're burying unclaimed bodies on hart island at a much faster pace. there are glimmers of hope tonight. what we learned about patients in the icu. more patients leaving than arriving in icus across new york. but elsewhere in the country, the numbers are still surging. a temporary hospital opening in boston's convention center. and an emotional massachusetts governor charles baker warning there are a very difficult couple of weeks ahead there. kentucky reporting its largest single day increase of cases and deaths. texas governor greg abbott saying we have not yet reached the peak. the long lines growing longer tonight for food across this country. and what will it take to get america back open on the other side of this? every night we have been reporting on testing for antibodies, immunity for americans who might have been exposed to the virus and not know it. there's news on this tonight. and could americans be carrying

some sort of proof they they have immunity from the virus? what dr. anthony fauci said about that today. we'll carefully get through it all again tonight. and egin wit johnson here prsi for the first time since the outbreak began in new york, more people leaving those intensive care units than going in. the rate of hospitalizations down. >> as someone who searches for solace in all this grief, the leveling off of the number of lives lost is a somewhat hopeful sign. >> reporter: the death toll slightly lower but appearing to hold steady at a staggering loss -- 777 people dying in the last 24 hours. morgues filling so quickly, crews are digging more space at hart island, the city's cemetery used to bury unclaimed bodies. the crisis also playing out in

maternity wards. we were taken inside maimonides hospital in brooklyn, the scare of a lifetime for iris nolasco. diagnosed with covid-19, 30 weeks pregnant, doctors ordering an emergency c-section. >> i just prayed to god to protect my baby and the people that i had at home. i thought that i would die then. >> reporter: her next memory special but short-lived. the sound of her baby girl crying. but doctors immediately separating the two, taking the newborn away to the nicu to shield her from the virus. >> the only way i've seen my baby is through a camera. and i was able to open it 24/7 and see how my baby is doing -- breathing, smiling sometimes, yawning. >> reporter: iris, connected to her daughter through a baby monitor only. little isabella michelle, still in the hospital but improving. iris is now recovering at home, hoping their first official meeting is just days away.

>> i just hope that i'll be able to hold her and then just protect her. once this is over, i just want to spend every second with her and create that bond that we are missing now. >> reporter: tonight, as we've been reporting, a terrible toll on african-americans in this country. and in new york city, 34% of coronavirus deaths in the latino community. for millions of americans, life on hold. but the message, stay home and stay the course. >> it's really about the encouraging signs that we see, but as encouraging as they are, we have not reached the peak. >> reporter: but still an emergency in so many cities. today the detroit convention center turned field hospital now treating covid patients. the state now taking more drastic steps, banning travel between homes starting tomorrow. >> our most vulnerable citizens

are dying in a helpless manner. >> reporter: in maryland, the governor warning there are tough days ahead. >> we are ramping up the curve. this is going to be one of our most dangerous times ever this weekend and over the next week or so. >> reporter: but in florida, which was slower than other states to order restrictions, the governor considering reopening schools in may. and saying this. >> this particular pandemic is one where i don't think nationwide there's been a single fatality under 25. for whatever reason, it just doesn't seem to threaten, you know, kids. >> reporter: but the cdc saying at least 8 people under 24 have died in the u.s. states reporting two infants, two teenagers, and young adults among the victims. like 22-year-old israel sauz, who died a short time after he and his wife welcomed a new baby. tonight the white house confirming the president is creating a task force focused on reopening the country, saying he'll announce early next week members of the medical and business communities will help

decide how to move forward. >> and i've got to make the biggest decision of my life. and i've only started thinking about that. i mean, you know, i have made a lot of big decisions over my life. you understand that. this is by far the biggest decision of my life. because i have to say, okay, let's go. this is what we're going to do. >> reporter: but on the front lines, the battle continues to save lives. right here yesterday, we met nurse mary kate funaro, working in the same brooklyn icu where her father, a physician, was being treated for covid-19. she was caring for others, not him. difficult for both. >> unfortunately i was not able to go inside of his room, because i didn't want to cross contaminate. so i waved to him from outside the glass. >> reporter: today, her dad, dr. richard funaro, is out of the hospital and like so many health care workers, jumping back in the fight to beat this virus. when you saw your daughter outside the glass in the icu,

was there ever a moment where you thought you might not make it? >> i had many moments like that. in fact, at least two days' worth. i just could not breathe. quite frankly i was frightened. but on top of that, to see my daughter at the same time was very difficult. >> we're glad to see him back and well, and the fact that father and daughter watched each other through that glass, what a powerful thing. whit, i do want to get back to what the president did say late today, about what he acknowledged would be his most difficult decision about how and when to reopen this country. he was asked about reports of new federal projections of what would happen if stay at home orders were lifted after these 30 days. >> reporter: david, those projections reported by "the new york times" showed there would be a dramatic spike in infections if those orders were lifted. president trump saying he hadn't seen them but that he would listen to his medical experts and in the end make his own decision. david? >> whit johnson leading us off

on a friday night. whit, thank you. as many have said, one of the keys to reopening the country may be testing for antibodies to see if americans had been exposed to the virus and might have some immunity. it would offer some reassurance as families decide if it's safe to go back to work. tonight we're with the researchers with the experimental test checking for antibodies, a simple pinprick. tonight, the government, do they have the ability to get tens of millions of tests ready and quickly? here's abc's kaylee hartung tonight. >> reporter: tonight, on the front lines of a key battle in the fight to get america back to work. a line of people in northern california waiting for an antibody test to determine whether they have been exposed to the coronavirus without knowing it and may now be immune. >> the key to reopening is going to be testing. >> reporter: the antibody testing in california, part of a usc-stanford study, requires just a drop of blood, a simple pinprick. they say it costs about 10 bucks and results are available in

about 10 minutes. $10, 10 minutes per test, and you are gathering incredibly valuable information. >> we can do this on a very large scale if we want to. >> reporter: the federal government has yet to deploy a nationwide test. new york state, the epicenter of the crisis, is developing its own, but they're only able to perform a few thousand tests a week. >> it's not enough if you want to reopen on a meaningful scale and reopen quickly. we need an unprecedented mobilization, where government can produce these tests in the millions. >> reporter: today governor cuomo calling on president trump to use the defense production act to make private companies produce antibody tests. but today from the white house -- >> there's not a lot of issues with testing. >> reporter: the president has downplayed the need for nationwide testing to diagnose covid-19 or detect whether a person has had the virus and is now possibly immune.

>> we want to have it, and we're going to see if we have it. do you need it? no. is it a nice thing to do? yes. we're talking about 325 million people, and that's not going to happen. >> reporter: but dr. anthony fauci says testing is key and today announced the federal government is closing in on an antibody test. >> within a period of a week or so, we're going to have a rather large number of tests that are available. >> reporter: president trump now making this pledge. >> we're confident that the production will scale up to tens of millions of tests very quickly. >> a lot of eyes will be watching to see if that actually comes to fruition. kaylee with us tonight. the president and dr. fauci both asked today whether americans might one day have to carry some sort of proof that they have immunity from the virus. >> reporter: yeah, david. dr. fauci was asked if he could imagine that day, when americans would carry around a certificate of immunity. he said it's possible. it's something they're discussing. he says we need to make sure we

know the difference betweeen someone who's vulnerable to infection and who's not. >> kaylee hartung, who's recovered from coronavirus herself. and we're glad to see that. kaylee, thanks for reporting tonight. the staggering toll on families across the country. nearly 17 million out of work. the urgent need for food. the desperate plea from church leaders as we head into this weekend. here's steve osunsami. >> they have enough food here for 20,000 individuals. >> reporter: the lines at food banks across the country are stretching forever. this one today in los angeles. these are the real people in the numbers. some of the nearly 17 million americans who just lost their jobs. >> they don't know where their next meal is going to come from. >> reporter: here in san antonio, they were lined up for free food before the sun rose, and this picture says everything. >> i've had a long day. i've been here since wednesday n unemployment check. joanne bullock in miami says the websites aren't always working, so people in need are having to leave their homes and get in line. >> i've been trying to do unemployment online, and i couldn't get through, but then i did get through, but then it

blocked me out. >> reporter: for americans turning to god for help this easter sunday, they're being encouraged to stay home. >> this is one time when i believe that, frankly, we are going god's will by not going church. >> reporter: new york cardinal timothy dolan agrees. >> continuing the life and presence and mercy and grace of jesus, that goes on, in some ways in an even more vigorous way than if the buildings were open. >> reporter: but some of the faithful aren't listening. authorities across the country are blaming a number of outbreaks on large gatherings at funerals and church services. in kansas, a fight over the lord. the governor cancelled church services this easter sunday, and then lawmakers ordered them back on. >> a shockingly irresponsible decision that will put every kansas life at risk. >> reporter: one thing everyone on -- it is time for prayer. >> i'm a christian. heal our country. let's get healed before we do

this. >> reporter: to get these stimulus checks out a lot faster, the treasury is announcing a new web portal. if you are not required to file your income tax, you can enter your direct deposit information and get the stimulus money a whole lot sooner. david? >> steve, let's hope it works. there is eye-opening news on british prime minster boris johnson and how serious his condition was. james longman from london. >> reporter: tonight, officials acknowledge boris johnson is only in an early stage of recovery. news that he's now been able to do short walks between periods of rest suggests how serious his condition was. a spokesman saying he waved to doctors and nurses as he was moved out of the icu. this morning, johnson's father painting a grim picture. >> if you use that american expression, he almost took one for the team. >> reporter: saying his son is still not out of woods. not far from where boris johnson recovers, gratitude for health

workers on the front line. the british government will also be conscious of growing anger. 980 dead in the last 24 hours, higher even than italy on its worst day. in the vatican, the pope leading the faithful into a very different easter weekend, preaching this good friday in a near-empty st. peter's square. his prayers for strength and compassion now seem especially poignant. david, it's still too early to know when boris johnson will be out of this hospital, back in 10 downing street and leading this country out of the crisis. david? >> james, thank you. when we come back, the fbi with a warning about widespread scams. and severe storms set to hit this easter weekend. end. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression.

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so, what's in it for you? our fees are structured so we do better when our clients do better. at fisher investments we're clearly different. there will be parties and family gatherings. there will be parades and sporting events and concerts. to help our communities when they come back together, respond to the 2020 census now. spend a few minutes online today to impact the next 10 years of healthcare, infrastructure and education. go to 2020census.gov and respond today to make america's tomorrow brighter. it's time to shape our future. tonight, a warning from the fbi amid this emergency about scams. here's pierre thomas. >> reporter: tonight, a stark warning from the fbi as thousands of american consumers say they have been the target of covid-19 scams. the ftc reporting today more than 15,000 complaints, nearly

doubling the number recorded last week. almost $12 million in losses and counting. the fbi making arrest middlebrook. >> i've created the cure for cov 19. c-o-v-i-d 19. the coronavirus. this is it right here. >> reporter: there's no cure. he's been arrested and charged with attempted wire fraud. accused of advertising a false claim to lure investors. tonight the state of missouri is suing televangelist jim bakker after his tv show promoted a silver solution cure for covid-19. a potion in a bottle that you could buy for $80. bakker's company says it was his guests who touted the product, but they have stopped offering it. the litigation is pending. and then there are those suspect robocalls. >> we can qualify you to get a free diabetic monitor and a complimentary testing kit for coronavirus. >> reporter: and websites promising to deliver a coronavirus vaccine for a fee

when no such vaccine exists. david, folks at home should ignore online offers for cures, vaccinations, and home test kits. some of this stuff can be truly dangerous. >> pierre, thank you. when we come back, the severe storms this easter weekend. in a moment. a moment. proof i can fight psoriatic arthritis... ...with humira. proof of less joint pain... ...and clearer skin in psa. humira targets and blocks a source of inflammation that contributes to joint pain and irreversible damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection.

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dr. dto do a lot right now.re that we're asking americans so we're asking everyone to be selfless for others so that we can protect those who are most susceptible to this virus. dr. jerome adams: a question i often get asked is, "why should young people care about the spread of coronavirus?" well we know that people with underlying medical conditions over the age of 60 are at highest risk, but they've got to get it from somebody. dr. anthony fauci: social distancing is really physical separation of people. dr. deborah birx: it's what we refer to when we ask people to stay at least six feet apart. dr. anthony fauci: not going to bars, not going to restaurants, not going to theaters where there are a lot of people... it all just means physical separation so you have a space between you and others who might actually be infected or infect you. dr. jerome adams: we all have a role to play

in preventing person-to-person spread of this disease which can be deadly for vulnerable groups. for more information on how you can social distance please go to coronavirus.gov the severe weather threat this easter weekend. texas in the threat zone tomorrrow before the system moves east for easter sunday. 50 million in the path from texas to the carolinas. when we come back, the moment you saw right here. now the story behind it. who is our person of the week?

(vo) was that a pivotal historical moment ♪ we just went stumbling past? here we are dancing in the rumbling dark so come a little closer give me something to grasp give me your beautiful, crumbling heart we're working every dread day that is given us feeling like the person people meet really isn't us like we're going to buckle underneath the trouble like any minute now the struggle's going to finish us and then we smile at all our friends

even when i'm weak and i'm breaking i'll stand weeping at the train station 'cause i can see your faces there is so much peace to be found in people's faces. i love people's faces. ♪ we can't offer much during this time of crisis, but we can offer what we have. so from all of us working early mornings on the farm, long days in the plant, or late nights stocking shelves doing all we can to get you the milk you need. we hope it makes your breakfast a little brighter.

your snacks more nutritious. and reminds you when it comes to caring, there is no expiration date. milk. love what's real. i heard there guwere fleas out here.r? and t-t-t-t-t-icks! and mosquitoooooooooooes! listen up, scaredy cats. we all have k9 advantix ii to protect us. it kills and repels fleas, ticks and mosquitoes, too. sprinting past every leak in our softest, smoothest fabric. she's confident, protected, her strength respected. depend. the only thing stronger than us, is you.

finally tonight here, we all saw that moment last night here, and we wanted the story behind it. our persons of the week. it was the moment we first brought you last night here. the doors opening at maimonedes medical center in brooklyn. dr. paul saunders recovering from coronavirus, returning to his rounds. [ applause ] he was not expecting this. >> thank you very much. totally unexpected and undeserved, but thank you all for coming to work and for working so hard all this time. so, all appreciated by everybody, but thank you very much. >> and welcome back. >> happy to be back. >> reporter: and now we learn that that doctor who was on the front lines, that even while he was recovering, dr. saunders was checking in on his patients. >> one of the hardest things about not being here is you feel like you're letting everyone down inside the hospital. everyone's working so hard and the whole time i was home, i'm

just anxious to get back and just to get back, get back to work. >> reporter: there are so many heroes. we have seen those lines applauding health care workers. but tonight, this image from a nurse recording as she walked through it. nurse victoria schlit from north shore university hospital in manhattan, new york, thanking them back. >> thank you. >> reporter: this evening, victoria sending us a message after finishing another shift. >> hey, david. >> reporter: telling us that moment mattered. >> it was an incredible feeling to see the support of our local heroes thanking the staff for our hard work. it's been a devastating few weeks and the support we received make it worth it. we're in this together and we'll get through this together. >> heroes everywhere. where would we be without them? i really appreciate you being here again this week, and we'll see you back here on monday. good night. it's going to be a beautiful

weekend and the worst thing you can do is go outside and enjoy it. >> reporter: i'm melanie woodrow. how authorities are combatting coronavirus in nursing homes around the bay area. >> reporter: i'm eric thomas in oakland. this street will be blocked off tomorrow along with several others so you can get out and exercise is it still maintain a straight distance. that story straight ahead. >> announcer: now, your health, your safety. this is abc 7 news. good evening, thank you for joining us. i'm dan ashley. >> and i'm ama daetz joining us live from my home. there is going to be a lot of temptation to take a break from your shelter in place to enjoy the holiday weekend. but all the experts say, don't. >> being home this weekend is of vital importance to all of us, a way to protect our communities, our neighbors, and our families. >> this just in, the contra costa county fairgrounds in

antioch is going to turned into an overflow medical care site for coronavirus patients. it could handle a maximum of 43 patients if needed. sonoma county just issued a blanket order which means that anyone who is suspected of having coronavirus and their close contacts must quarantine themselves. and good news, $100 million to help provide childcare services for essential workers during the pandemic. it's part of emergency statewide legislation. today san francisco mayor london breed revealed an outbreak of coronavirus cases at the city's biggest homeless shelter. mse south located on fifth street. 70 people have tested positive. 68 residents and two staff. >> we know that from the very, very beginning, congregant living settings like our single room occupancy hotels, we knew those had the potential of being hotspots. and so we have